BY KAREN BOSSICK

Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve is inviting the public to “walk on the moon” this month.

The hikes are free but attendees need to pay the park entrance fee.

Doug Owens, who worked as a park ranger, geologist and education specialist at Craters for 19 years, will lead a Photography Adventure Hike on Saturday, June 7. He will follow that with a Geology Nature Hike on Saturday, June 14.

The Photography Adventure Hike will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 7. Photographers of all skill levels who are interested in shooting different texture and wildflowers and using light reflectors are welcome to come on a four-mile hike.

The hike will cover a variety of terrain from the cinder flats to the Broken Top Loop Trail. Reservations are required and may be made by calling the Craters of the Moon Visitor Center at 208-527-1335. To learn more visit https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/event-details.htm?id=F3B601C5-C2CB-F094-80EA8ECACA45C69E.

The Geology Nature Hike will encompass a four-mile hike through the preserve’s “weird and scenic” volcanic landscape from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 14. It will include some off-trail hiking on uneven ground.

Reserve your spot at 208-527-1335.

Emigrants making their way west through the area called the Craters of the Moon “the devil’s vomit.” The Shoshone and Bannock peoples who traveled through it to and from salmon fishing and buffalo hunting areas and camas and wild carrot digging grounds, had their unique take on the area, as well.

Their oral tradition teaches how the antelope guided them to safety through the lava flows. Another tradition recalls how a giant snake miles and miles long coiled itself around a mountain in what is now the Craters of the Moon. When a lightning bolt hit nearby, the angered snake tightened its coils around the mountain, causing the rocks to crumble and fire to come from the cracks, the lava flowing down the mountain.

“Spring is a great time of year to visit Craters of the Moon, with mild temperatures, fewer visitors, and beautiful scenery as remaining snow contrasts with lava and wildflowers bloom,” said Michael Irving, chief of interpretation & education at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve.

“We are pleased to offer these special walks in partnership with the Craters of the Moon Natural History Association and encourage members of the public to take advantage of the opportunity to participate in them!”